A Lost Little Cricket
by A.J.RITE
Summary: Ladybug and Cat Noir agree to help a lost girl who calls herself "Lil' Cricket". Even though she is strange and over emotional all Cricket wants to do is go home. It's a simple task with extraordinary circumstances, but could of the fantastic dou biten off more then they could chew?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Marinette stared down at a live news feed from her phone, she frowned as she watched a purple and green blur darted between the buildings one moment launching over cars the other. The chat on the video was little help to what she was looking at besides that the few civilians saying that the blur made chirping sounds that the news cameras didn't pick up. She looked out at the sky line from her place from her balcony and the hectic movement displayed on her phone, trying to figure out where in Paris this burl could be heading.

"What are you looking at?" Tiki asked the red kwami peering over Marinette's shoulder.

Marinette pursed her lips and sighed "I'm not sure?" She moved the phone up to Tiki "Akuma?" She asked.

The kwami's eye narrowed and then tilled her head with a wide-eyed confusion "I'm not sure." Tiki's head shot up with a gasp. "Look up!"

Quickly Marinette turned her gaze to where Tiki had gestured. Launching up between to building the mysterious blur the tumbled and bounced to a stop on a nearby roof. She could make out the vague outline of some one as peered and felt a pang of worry seeing what the figure wasn't getting up.

"Tiki, spots on!" She said quickly activating her miraculous, transforming into Ladybug. She swung and leaped over to over to the prone figure.

Upon getting a closer to the figure, she grew more worried seeing that it was unmistakable a young girl. Appearing only a few years younger than Marinette she lay on her face, pigtails were spread out like tangles of black ribbon. The child was dressed in a purplish black suit with areas of matching raised armor on her knees elbows and chest, the outfit had a green reflective pattern from gloved fingertip to the shoes that molded to her feet with a silver band around one ankle.

The girl let out a pained groaned and Ladybug backed away letting her sit up. She started looking around through green tinted goggles, that made it difficult for Ladybug to make out the eyes of girl.

Ladybug readied herself for when girl eventual faced her "Hey there." She gave a small wave and spoke in her friendliest voice.

The girl gave a shriek jumping to her feet, her hair bristling as she shivered all over.

Ladybug held out her hands to try to show the child she wouldn't harm her "Calm down." The soothing tone was ineffective as her ears filled with sharp chirps her that tapped at her bones. "Wait back!" She shouted as the girl ran off roof the child's form blurring before she dropped to the street below.

Without a second's delay Ladybug went after her swinging from streetlights to stay close to the costumed girl. The sounds of the strange chirrups mixing with the sound of startled civilian helping her judge the girls exacted location in the city. "Gotch ya." She smiled as she heard the child looping around towards her. With a flip and flick of her wrist, Ladybug trend her Yo-Yo into a trip wire just in time to make to send the unnamed character sprawling on her back.

With a high-pitched chirp, the girl creeped to her feet readying to flee once more.

In a flash Ladybug grabbed the girl's hand "Please." She spoke softly feeling the girl vibrating in fear "I'm not going to hurt you." She looked into the girl's goggles letting her go and said "I'm Ladybug and you are?"

The girl emitted several chirps and Ladybug worried that she was going to runaway again "Lil' Cricket." The girl's voice was quite and sore like she had been crying.

"Okay, nice to meet you." Ladybug kneeled down a little to fully meet her face to face "Sorry if hurt you but, you're running around is scaring people." Her face and voice got sterner "Would you mind explaining yourself."

Lil' Cricket whimpers as the chirping became more frequent "I want to go home." Her voice cracked as she shifted from side to side.

Ladybug tilled her head in relief and confusion, she was sure that little girl was a villain. "It okay, I'll help you." Her eye's glanced to the silver band, but the girl moving around too much to get a look at it. "Where is your home?"

The young girl looked up at the Paris skyline "I don't know." Tears slipped between the seal of her goggles "I'm lost!" She cried the strange chirruping bleeding to an

"Hey, Hey!" Ladybug covered her ears "Clam down, you going to be okay." She did her hardest not to raise her voice and make the child's crying worse. When the crying or noise would slow, she gritted her teeth and warped her arm the strange child mimicking the sounds of a lullaby.

Lil' Cricket's body heaved against her the little girls sobbing slowed, the noise morphing into hiccupping peeps. "Daddy?" the work came out so weak Ladybug didn't hear her, the bright red hero rubbing her back comfortingly.

Ladybug let go of the costumed girl as she wiggled out of her hold. She watched the girl bounce and rapidly scale a nearby wall following quickly behind.

"Daddy!"

"Wha?" The unmistakable voice of Cat Noir which suddenly became alarmed "Get off me!" Lil' Cricket giggles heightened his startled words "Hey don't touch that!"

Once Ladybug made it on to the roof she nearly burst into laughter. Cat Noir bristled the way a feline gets when threated with a bath, Lil' Cricket's arms wrapped around his torso face pressed against his side. The duo looked weirdly adorable she was so caught up in the site, she almost didn't notice that the little girl had looked up to speak to her.

"Lady I'm okay, I found my Dad." The girl hopped and squeezed her presumed father.

"What!" The blond-haired hero awoke from his shock "No, no, no." He pushed the girl off, how made a confused and startled noise "This isn't my kid." He told Ladybug as his cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

Cricket stomped her foot and crossed her arm "Daddy you liar." She wined as chirp popped with sharpness.

Ladybug readied herself and put a hand on her shoulder "Lil' Cricket, are sure that Cat Noir is your father?" She smiled suppressing laughter.

The girl nodded and looked up at Ladybug, the corners of her mouth pulled into a confused frown.

"I don't know this kid." The feline Miraculous holder said defensively staring at the two.

Ladybug gave him a similarly disgruntled look "She lost, Cat." She walked up to him, leaving Lil' Cricket by herself.

Cat Noir held up his gloved hands with an exhausted eye roll "Still doesn't mean she's mine." He then leaned in closer "Not saying I wouldn't want one." Flirtation filled his whisper.

The shrill sound of Lil' Cricket's alarm, stopped the red cheeked Ladybug from responding to Cat's comment.

"Gwa, what's that noise!" Chat Noir covered his ears at the abrasive noise.

"You made her upset!" Ladybug shout at him fist clenched.

He looked at her confused and annoyed "How?"

Ladybug ground and told him that should have been obvious to him "She lost and you look like her dad!"

"What do you want me to do about that?" He moved his hand to gestured to the costume girls.

When they glanced over to Lil' Cricket, the child had disappeared during they're quick spat. Ladybug gave him a frustrated glare and jumped to an adjacent roof to search for the girl.

Adrien fell on his bed as he watched the sky from his bed window slowly turn from azure to creamy orange. He spent his whole dad apologizing to Ladybug between looking for 'Lil' Cricket', the grill was more likely to be his little sister his daughter. He rolled over and stared at ceiling in cocompletion, it was child in superhero get-up wasn't sent by Hawkmoth. There were just too many opportunities for a villain like that to pass up, yet the girl was to young in his opinion to be using an actually miraculous. At least his dad had to leave suddenly on a business trip, which meant no one was to yell at him for being home late.

His thoughts were interrupted by Plagg zipping rapidly across his line of sight, the black kwami had been characteristically energetic since he deactivated his miraculous. Adrien keep his eye trained on Plagg as he slowly reached for a pillow. As the black kwami went to circle back around he flung the pillow up in hopes of catching Plagg.

Plagg zipped around the pillow and turned to look at Adrien "What was that for?"

"I thought holding you still might force you to have a catnap." The blonde-haired teen snarked up at the kwami.

"I'll take one, later."

"You, all right?" Adrien sat up with concerned.

"Of course." Plagg twitched slightly "I'm just a little buzzed?"

"Buzzed?"

"I feel a wound up, like I can do anything?"

Adrien started to worry for his kami, but before he could even bribe Plagg with cheese. The sound of Lil' Crickets siren squeal, the grating noise was unmistakable.

"Let's go! Let's go!" Plagg spun around with exitcement.

"Plagg, claws out!"

In a flash he transformed for the second time in the day Adrien transformed into Cat Noir. With a fluid and stealthy movement, he made his room and on the rooftops with out being noticed. Despite the spine chilling noise, he bounded in the direction of Lil' Cricket. The small girl giving a startled jump when she noticed him in the early night sky.

"What are you doing here?" He glared down at Lil' Cricket crossing his arms.

The shirking siren sound stopped as the girl wrapped her arms around him. Looking up at him through the thick colored goggles.

"Hey ask before you hug me!" He felt his hair stand on end as his voice pitched up.

"You're not my dad?" Lil' Cricket waited as if wanting to be proven wrong.

With a reluctant sigh he put her hand on her shoulder "Sorry kid, I'm not your pops." Cat told the young girl the truth.

With a sharp chirp Lil' Cricket dropped her arm, heads and shoulders slumped.

Cat Noir let out a depressed huff on behalf the little girl. With a serious face and kneeled down to little girl and put a hand on her shoulder "You're. It." The with a quick jump and spun on his heel and ran in the opposite direction.

Lil' Cricket jumped and squeaked with confusion, then hopping steps chased after him "No, you are!" With chin raised in pride as she pulled the strip of fabric that made up the tail of his costume. "Uh oh." She gave startled but playful noise jumped from roof zipping off admits the crowds below.

Watching the blur of the young girl, Cat Noir chuckled slightly before bounding after her on the roof tops. Instantly the chase was exhilarating making it arm reach of Lil' Cricket only for her to dart way all most out of sight. As time drew on when the air got colder and the sky turned into the velvety black of night, a creeping question of why his Miraculous hadn't showed signs of powering down.

"Pretty."

The sound of Lil' Cricket's voice derailed his thoughts as he quietly began to sneak up on the girl "Got you!" He pounced and tackled to her ground. His triumphant victory was short lived as he looked up to she Ladybug arms crossed looking at them with a readable expression.

"There you are." Her voice was soft and caring as she looked down Cricket "Is the big bad kitty picking on you." Ladybug gave a teasing remark.

Cricket crawled way from Cat shaking her head.

"We're just having some fun?" Cat stood up giving ladybug a friendly smile to Ladybug, yet she remined focus on the Lil' Cricket.

"Hey Cricket."

"Umm?"

"Stay right there." Ladybug's changed her tone gabbing Cat Noir by the arm. "We need to talk."

"What's up? I was going help her get home." Seeing the stern look on Ladybug's face he tried to explain his actions. "Just wanted her stop making that noise frist."

"Cat, Lil' might have a Miraculous."

"Might? so you don't know?" He raised an eyebrow at Ladybug, thinking the red suited heroin was jumping to conclusions "She just a kid, why don't you ask her, we've goanna have to anyways."

Ladybug's stance relaxed as she looked away "What if she's a trap that Hawkmoth set up?" Her eyes stared at the distant skyline "I get she's a kid but that makes her dangerous in some- hey!" She let out a irritated groan as she saw Cat Noir walking causally back to the little girl.

"Hey kido?" Cat gave a cheery tone to catch the little costumed girl's attention.

Lil' Cricket looked up at him with a questioning look then gave a small smile.

"Ever hear of a guy named Hawkmoth?" Cat Noir winced his hand shoot to his hears "Oh sh-, that's a yes!"

"He's awful." Lil' Cricket's voice cracked her chest heaving, cheeks turning pale as her clenched shaking.

Ladybug cautiously taking the opening Cat had against the intention, she asked the little girl "Do you know what a Miraculous is?"

"You're not goings to take Ching-Ching from me, are you?" The girl gave a frightened scream. The was swallowed up by the noise, Ladybug had caught to being Lil' Cricket's power, which was causing the glass in the building beneath them to vibrate.

"No." It was unclear if Lil' Cricket had heard the duo's answer but, the violence of her chirping died down.

Red faced the girl sobbed a "I just want to go home."

An ache erupted in Ladybugs heart an Akumatized villain with a major flaw or, being unwittingly chosen for a Miraculous. The sobbing girl in front of them was person who wanted nothing but return home "We'll help you, but we can't help unless we know something about you."

Lil' Cricket rubbed at her cheeks the tears from the goggles glitter off her hands "Tomorrow in the morning, I can take you to the last place I remember." She gave a shaky huff "It's a really bad place."

"We'll protect you." Ladybug clasped the girl's hands gently.

Lil' Cricket tilted her head at each of them "Promise?" She probed them apprehensive.

Cat Noir drew an X on his chest with a finger. "Hope to die."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Marinette in her Ladybug form stood as she took a moment taking a peaceful moment. Her night after agreeing to meet up with Lil' Cricket, was abhorrently restless. The second she got home Tikki behaved strangely, she was overly anxious and paranoid. Even when she had Tikki look for information on who the little girl could be, which went nowhere unless Lil' Cricket was actually hundreds of years old. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her own nerves. Neither Cat Noir or Lil' Cricket had yet to arrive and thoughts wanting to jump to worst conclusions. 'She wants to go home.' She repeated the mantra clinging to the empathic feeling she discovered the night before.

The pleased voice Cat Noir broke her consternation "Hello M'Lady!"

With a quick movement, she turned around to see Lil' Cricket hop off his back with a victorious smile. "Were where you two?" The irritation in her voice made the duo jump.

Cat Noir fumbled for an answer before giving an apprehensive smile letting out a guilt-ridden chuckle.

Cricket gave a chirp muttered "Sorry." For what Ladybug didn't know, but that least the two seemed ashamed enough to not keep her waiting again.

Ladybug gave an exhausted sigh then gently said: "Never mind, are you ready to take us to the last place you remember."

Lil' Cricket's lips turned into a thin pale line and swayed slightly.

Cat Noir gave the smaller girl a pat on the back "It's okay we got you." He gave a soft laugh "Nothing scares us."

Cricket looked up at him "Not even Hawkmoth?"

Cat gave her a serious look and said "No way."

Squaring her shouldered Lil' Cricket perked up a little and held out a hand two each of them. Ladybug and Cat Noir took the younger girl's hands.

"Uh, Cricket?" Cat question as ghostly sparks danced across their arms.

Cricket did answer the grip tighten on their hands as she panted and shook like she had been dipped in ice. The area around them grew dark as the pale flecks of lights grow brighter the sound of vibrating filled the air.

"What's going on!" Ladybug glanced around and fell a growing wrongness seeping into the air around her and pull away.

Cricket let out a loud chirp and crossed her arms releasing Cat Noir in the process, she didn't answer and she continued to shake.

"I don't know what trick you were trying but, I think it's time we…" Ladybugs words died on her lips.

They weren't on the same rooftop as they were just standing upon. While she could clearly see all the clear landmarks that she was in Paris, but the layout of the streets and building showed that it wasn't her Paris.

The sky was dark with heavy clouds rolling above them 'danger!' A thought shuttered through her, cold wind raking across the group. Ladybug glanced at turmoil above her eye narrowing a beam of light bleeding down on to the rooftops.

"Run!" Lil' Cricket's shrike jarred Ladybug back into the immediate moment.

The light fell on the trio to soon, their shadows growing long and dark. With a shot, Cat Noir grabbed Cricket by the arm the girl giving a whimper. In a rush, the three moved down to the street inaudible alarms filling their thoughts as made their way down to the street. The light in the sky lingering on their heels like the gaze of a judgmental eye.

"Come on we need to go faster!" Cat Noir looked at Lil' Cricket as they scrambled for cover "Where did your speed go."

The child huffed and chirped through the otherwise quiet streets "It's won't help he saw us, it's too late!" She cried to him.

"No, it's not!" Ladybug turned as she found a cover walkway could hide under.

The group press against a wall allowing the cover above them shielded from the light. The beam sweep over the walkway before trailing off into the distance.

There was a collective sigh the three of them had escaped the danger that would have befallen them. "Who's 'He', where you talking about Hawkmoth?" Cat asked the little girl who gripped his and Ladybugs hand.

The only answer was a chirp from Cricket as she pulled them closer together. Her head tilted upward as if still waiting for the searchlight to pass.

Concerned Ladybug tried to see what the girl pressed between them was looking at. Preached like sleeping birds in the railing of the shade she had thought saved them cameras watched them. "Look up." She gasped turning to she dark-suited companion.

Cat Noir only took slightly longer to notice the cameras his breath picking up slightly "Let's go!" He headed to the far end of the walkway. With a stop, he reached for his weapon, mind racing as he stared at the figure standing in the opening to the street.

The Evillustrator, an Evilized classmate of his that he had beat nearly a year ago. There was something different about this The Evillustrator , brighter, less threating like more of Nathaniel shown through.

"How?" He asked readying to smack the world-altering artist out of the way. Ladybug and Lil' Cricket staring from behind him.

The Evillustrator expression didn't change staring at him coldly and mouthed 'Leave now.' Before a stone wall materialized in front of him.

Cat Noir knew that it wouldn't take much to destroy the wall before he could summon up the energy to, a metal blade cut through the fabric covering "Other way! Go!" He shouted back to over his shoulder heading back the way they came.

The trio outran the growing hole above them, Lil' Cricket regaining back some of her preternatural speed. The older heroes watched as she made it back into the open street turn back to with look at them giving shaky smile.

A golden shadow nocked into Lil' Cricket caring the girl off as her screams mixed with the shrieking alarm.

"Cricket!" Ladybug shouted taking out her yo-yo swing after the third attacker.

Cat didn't chase after his companion looked up at the fabric cover behind him. Riposte was locked in combat with a stranger dressed in bright white and dark black lining the details of feathers in their suit.

The stranger glanced at him a mask stretching like bird's wings over their face "Quickly!" A masculine voice shout down to him from painted lips "Go!" The stranger said before kicking Riposte jabbing the pointed heel of the shoe against the metal armor.

Trusting that the stranger could handle The Evilustrator and Riposte which had to be lurking somewhere nearby. Cat Noir went off to help Ladybug recuse Lil' Cricket. With his staff he propelled himself on to the roof, giving him the higher ground in the proustite.

Meanwhile, Ladybug was losing track of the kidnapper, while not supernaturally fast the stager made turns quickly enough to ever briefly lose sight of them. Her chest pounded at the thought of losing Lil' Cricket the girl had trusted her to keep her safe.

She switched tactics using her flinging herself as high as she recoiled her yo-yo and sending it down at the gold shadow.

The stranger whipped by the yo-yo released Lil' Cricket, rolling over in a shiny heap.

Cricket got to her feet with a chirp jittering as she glanced between the stranger's body and Ladybug. Slowly Ladybug approached the girl carefully as she watched the kidnapper struggled to their knees.

A tarnished golden mask barley covered handsome masculine features of the stranger. Dark hair which showed signs of at one being dyed hang just over his eye's "Your real." He rasped getting to his feet.

Ladybug pulled Lil' Cricket close as the stranger approached them. She watched his hand narrowing on his right hand were a glittering yellow cynical toy. It was paper Yo-yo a simple toy that was easy to break, yet something inside her knew it wouldn't be that simple.

The sound of Cat Noir's yell startled to the two girls. The black-suited superhero jumping down from the rooftops attempting to tackle and pin down the stranger.

Black and gold tumbled the along the street and the two males wrestled and attempting to trade blows.

"Stop!" Lil' Cricket screamed and ripped herself from Ladybug's hold. "Druid Wasp is good!" She pushed and pulled at the two males "He saved me from Hawkmoth before I got lost again." She chirped and looked at Cat Noir pitifully.

With a confused and apprehensive look, Cat Noir relented and let go of the other male.

Druid Wasp shrugged as he got to his feet looking respectively at the three. Then took Lil' Cricket by the hand and start to lead her away.

"Hey!"

Druid gave Ladybug a hard 'sh' then said: "Come, it best we do not stay out in open." He then turned to guide them through the empty streets of a dark Paris at night.

The journey was more treacherous then Ladybug could have expected. Almost every corner was stuffed with cameras as shadows enemies that had been long defeated crossed their path.

"I take it that Cricket brought you here from somewhere else?" Druid spoke up in the relative quiet of the city "You are definitely not the Ladybug and Cat Noir of this world. I know it." He looked at the duo who gave him an equally confused expression.

Ladybug had a felt that they there not in the same world as the one she calls home. It was having it confirmed by a complete stranger caught her off guard.

Before either of them could respond, a figure dropped down in front of the group. Cat instantly recognized the white-clad male that fought Riposte so he could give chase after Druid.

"About time!" Druid shouted at the pale stranger "Butterfly! You Get, Butterfly!"

The avian-like hero's jaw worked as if he was chewing something and giving Druid a thumb up with a gloved hand.

"Thank you for helping us back there." Cat Noir he held his hand up to the newcomer hoping to exchange a high-five.

The slender teen recoiled and reflexively swallowed. His painted lips pulled into a concerns frown hands folding back into the ridiculously long sleeves.

Noir narrowed eyes "What?" he asked in an offended tone.

"He doesn't speak French." Druid Wasp gave the white-suited hero a reassuring pat on the back "I'm glad your back Cricket, Weaver has gotten a migraine running intelligence and being a translator at the same time." He told the little girl softly.

"How many are left?" Lil' Cricket spoke as if guilty of something.

"Counting myself only five." He answered continuing to guide them "Hawkmoth did a raid on our last hideout, he got everyone else."

"Sorry, Druid, right?" Cat Noir spoke up looking at the tarnished gold and white hero "Like you said she's not your Ladybug and I'm not your Cat Noir. We have no clue what's going on." He decided that mentioning that he had heard the bird-like character speak French wasn't as important.

"Lil' Cricket said she was lost, now what Hawkmoth went crazy and took over Pairs?" Ladybug continued the question before Druid could take in the question.

Rubbing at the bridging of his nose Druid gave a tired sigh "Let's get together with others, it a long story." without another word she went off down the street forcing the rest of group to follow.

Ladybug's bones began to ache as she saw where they were being taken. Her school, but also not her school it was lager but still had such similar features the memories couldn't help but arise.

One by one they made there way over the chain-link fence that surrounded the building. The school courtyard was a mess of broken window glass and splintered pieces of caved in doors. There was eerie silence as the moved around the space even the chirps of Lil' Cricket where noticeably softer in the stillness.

A woman dressed in a venomous purple lunged out a shadow "About time!" She gripped Druid in a tight hug.

Cat looked at the older woman with shock, there was familiar about her. Though the distractingly tight suit and pixie cut hair still all in that blinding purple color made him draw a blank. Druid made choking noise making the woman release him, as two other figures lurked in the doorway of the school.

Druid coughed then made a smile "Ladybug, Cat Noir." He gave a triumphant gesture to the group and mess around him "Meet what might be the last Miraculous and their holders."

"Last?!" The reaction was so sudden and filled with confused terror it was impossible to tell whether Ladybug or Cat Noir had said it first.

"Hawkmoth has been gathering up the Miraculous." Druid explained in a more serious tone "At the beginning, he'd created a small team of 'heroes' and was vocal with his goals."

Cat Noir gave Ladybug a sidelong look as if wanting to say something but he remained silent.

"It was laughable." He continued "Then our Cat Noir and Ladybug disappeared, and he became a terrifying threat."

'that wasn't right?' A voice in Ladybug mind whispered and she asked: "Where did they go?"

"Who cares!" The golden clad teen snapped at her "They abandon their role! No, they've left the rest of the world to stop a problem they had almost solved!"

She flinched at Druid's words not because he directed his ire on her. It was the pain and betrayal for two people who could have stopped an oppressive power from destroying his home. She couldn't fathom what went through this world's holders of Ladybug Miraculous head to abandon Paris and, not even return know that everything is so dire.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could that Cat Noir was having a similar reaction. While his poster conveyed his shock, there was an inter anger and hatred brew in his eyes. For who she could only guess.

"Yet Cricket brought to use, you guys." Druid Wasp gave an unconvincing chuckle "We can finally defeat him." He looked around hoping to see a change in the group's expression "We got a plan all set up and now it's foolproof."

Ladybug gave a worried look and asked: "What about Lil' Cricket?" She noticed the little girl jump at being mentioned.

"She's critical to it." He smiled wide "Her chirp seems to be like a backup a battery to our Miraculous, we don't why but- "

Druid Wasp stopped as the two figures emerged from the doorway. A tall elderly man and woman with an athletic build looking worn from battle and tried of the tarnished gold hero's ramble.

"You're acquainted with Blanco, he's a bird or something." He motioned to the winged mask hero "This is Weaver the spider, she in communication with are inside men."

The bright purple woman gave a bow "Hawkmoth thinks he has their complete loyalty, yet I can tap in and converse with the people they used to be." She created a hair-thin thread between her fingers "We missed you Lil' Cricket" She told the little girl in a motherlike tone.

"These two are Thorn and Yogi." Druid motioned to the other adults "While their abilities aren't the strongest they've been the toughest fighters."

"Hello." The old man they assumed was Thorn said in a gruff accent.

"Cricket tell everyone that Ladybug and Cat Noir are going to help use fight Hawkmoth." Druid Wasp looked at Lil' Cricket in expectation.

The child chirped and looked worriedly around the courtyard. She muttered a jumble of languages; a couple scraps of word Ladybug could tell was a Chinese dialect.

"Hey listen!" Cat spoke up for the little girl "We didn't agree to help you." He pulled Lil' Cricket was from Wasp "We just want to take the kid home."

Druids jaw set as he stood up straighter "Can the three of us talk in private?" His voice told Ladybug and Cat Noir that it wasn't a question. As Druid Wasp turned to walk into the school the two looks briefly at each other. It would be easy for them to grab Lil' Cricket and run away from the craziness of this situation.

Ladybug shook her head rejecting that train of thought. Running away is what created the destruction of this reality and she wouldn't draw out anyone's suffering.

"Listen." Druids said was the duo approached, his expression stern "I get it cricket is younger than the rest of us, and she's lost." He stated, "She came to us first we tried to help her but, she disappeared."

"what do you mean?"

"Lil' Cricket isn't from this Paris or your Paris." He answered Cat Noir's question "Something about her Miraculous is off and taking her back home is impossible. If we don't understand what's wrong with it."

"What do you mean off?" Ladybug was trying to process this information. Along with taking into that the reasoner her Miraculous hadn't needed to power down might have to do with the chirping noise Lil' Cricket made.

"Miraculous tend to follow similar traits and themes." Druid elaborated "yet her abilities and lack of weapon don't line up with any Miraculous ever recorded."

She nodded remembering trying to do researcher Lil' Cricket with a hyperactive Tikki.

"Because of that we just can send her home because we don't know where or when her home is." Cat Noir mentions the obvious "Not mention Hawkmoth." If was all the Miraculous this world Hawkmoth was after the access to alternate worlds or times meant not even his world and everyone in it was safe.

"Help us. So, we can help her." Druid asked gently.

The three stood in the shadow of the school. The soft whispers of the group outside being the only notable sound.

"Fine!" Cat Noir said loud enough for the rest of the group to hear him "What's your plan?!"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Bright flashes of lighting swam through heavy rolling clouds. The slivers of the sky that could be seen through the heavy blanket were pinkening in the early dawn. Making their way out on the street Blanco, Thorn, and Yogi splitting off as the first part of Druid Wasps plan commenced.

"Good luck everyone!" Ladybug shouted to the trio while her stomach folded into knots. The first step to defeating this world's Hawkmoth involved causing as much chaos and battle as many Akumatized villains for as long a possible.

Blanco hearing her turned back and waved his long sleeve in a silent good before continuing onward.

Meanwhile, Lil' Cricket huddle into the entryway of the school as the others moved and shouted to each other as they rushed to get for the rest of the plan. The small girl sniffled and huffed as her suite chirped.

"There you are." Cat Noir said before seeing and hearing her district "what's wrong?" He kneeled to get to her eye level.

Lil' Cricket pulled herself tighter into a ball not answering.

"Hey I know this is scary, but we're doing all this to help everyone." He poked her with a gloved finger "Not to mention it'll help you get home after."

"What about you?" The small girl asked him.

"Huh?" He tilted his head before remembering "Oh! Don't worry Ladybug and I will figure that out after you get home." He continued to smile.

Cricket sighed "Why couldn't you just be my dad?"

"I do I remind you of him that much?" He was slightly curious about her.

"I miss mom too, she going to never talk to me after this." Lil' Cricket continued.

"Of course, she'll still talk to you, she's your mother." Cat patted her head.

"Mom only fights with dad when it's about me keeping Ching-Ching." She mentioned her Kwami by name.

His encouraging smile dropped as a flickering memory of him lying in his bed as his partners shouted from a lower floor crossed his mind "They'll still love you." He got to his feet "Now stand up." Then lifted the little girl up by her arm guiding out to the rest of the group.

"There you guys are!" Ladybug jumped over to them as they approached.

"You kid's ready?" Weaver spoke to the group holding up a hand thin threads clearly visible as it grew taught and relaxed "Because we need to move."

Druid Wasp leads the way through the morning streets, the group moving with stealth as Paris awoke from the cold dark night before.

Marinette wondered as she moves close by Lil' Cricket she wondered if her family existed in this timeline if so she hopes that they were okay.

"What? no way!" Cat Noir narrowed his eye looking carefully at the street signs "Why are we heading to the Agreste house?"

Druid and Weaver stared at each other before looking at him.

He snapped before either of them could answer "You said we were heading to Hawkmoth's headquarters!"

Ladybug slowly reached down for her yo-yo. Her hand stopped feeling Lil' Cricket huddled close to her, the small girl was shaking like the ground below her was made of jelly.

"It is." Weaver said in coldly her fingers twitching as her spider threads pulled and whipped against them.

Cat shocked shook his head unwilling to listen. He could rationalize even in this other dimension that Hawkmoth would under his own roof.

"Hawkmoth has held up somewhere in there." Druid nodded looking at them his eyes awash with conflicting emotions "We sure in he's in there."

"Why!" The black-suited hero growled look down at them accusingly.

Weaver rubbed her mouth with something like guilt in her eye "It's best we tell you when we get there." The woman continued down the street.

Slowly Druid went after her the venomous colored woman leaving three standing confused.

Cat Noir looked at the other two girls staring at them for a long moment and Ladybug wondered if he would say something. Sadly, he relented running after the other Miraculous holders his body rigid.

Ladybug waited for her small companion to clam down before joining up with the rest of the group.

The Agreste manor stood stark and familiar to Cat and Ladybug. Though with its large windows boarded up windows and security wall smashed to make a clear pathway into the courtyard, it was clear that the building was taken by force.

Together they stood in front of front door staring at a pin lock beside the front door. "Do it, Weaver." Druid Wasp stepped aside to let the older woman see the keypad.

Weaver input a code several times then angerly slapped the door "He changed it!" Her expression quickly changed "Wait." She then ran her finger along the center of the plane pressing all the buttons in the center column. There was a brief sound of tumbling light and Weaver gave a weird smile "He didn't change that." She said smugly.

Carefully the team moved through the unlocked door moving in the grand entryway. Each of them a taking in the dusty shadows and broken furniture. "It's abandoned." Cat Noir said in astonishment moving around in a hesitant stride.

"Tread carefully," Druid whispered looking about readying to fight anything that jumped out of the shadows.

Slowly and cautiously the group moved around to investigate looking for any sign of their enemy. Ladybug stepped on a knocked over photograph, picking up the pictures she stared at the familiar and unknown faces "What happened to Adrien?" She points to his images with sharp thin feature and cold blue eyes. It bothered her as that the young man she has a crush on looked so gaunt and lifeless among the happy faces of her friends.

"Adrien?" Weaver looked at her concern "The Agreste's had one kid, Félix."

The certainty in the older woman's words it made Cat Noir look at her fully desperately trying to figure out who she was.

"He kind of shut down after his parents passed away." Weaver moved to look at the picture Ladybug held "He became consumed in persevering his family legacy." Her voice shook as her eyes teared up "Not just their professions but, their hobbies and all unfinished projects they had were just suddenly his cross to bear."

"Last time anyone saw him was when Hawkmoth hacked the airwaves." Druid continued for the woman "Félix was in the first group of hostages he took in order to subjugate the city."

"Cataclysm!" All eyes turned to Cat as he smashed in a wall destructive power swimming around his clenched fist. Then with another yell, he punched a deep hole his hand embedding into the wall. He huffed and looked at the wide-eyed expressions of even one else in the room. Then self-conscious of what he had done and pulled his hand out of the wall.

From the hole, there was a faint light giving a glimpse of the interior of the hole and lager the Cat Noir's fist.

Druid grabbed his paper yo-yo "Move aside." He flipped the toy and inset of it shooting out, it spiraled down into a pointed lance.

Cat only had a moment to registers before he jumped to the side letting the other male have at the wall he already greatly damaged. With agile speed and purposeful accuracy Druid drilled out at a large enough hole to for a person to crawl through.

Behind the hole lay a dim stairwell heading deep underground. "Where does it go?" Cat Noir peered into the hole.

"No!" The siren shirks of Lil' Cricket chirps matched her sudden frantic scream "I can't go I there!" the shook running upstairs disappearing into one of the upper floor rooms

"Cricket!" Ladybug chased after her using her yo-yo to quickly launch herself to the upper floor "What's gotten into you?" She flung open the door that Cricket had dived behind.

The little girl lay huddled on the floor her crying face buried into a decorative rug.

"Sh." Ladybug kneeled beside her gently rubbing the little girl's arm "It's okay." She spoke in a soothing voice.

Lil' Cricket heaved and cried "Don't let them get me!" she gasped shuttered "d-o d-d-nn!" the chirps overpowering her voice.

Ladybug felt sorry for the little girl. She wondered if was a side effect of the Miraculous Lil' Cricket had and the little wasn't ready to handle it. It made her thoughts on Druid Wasp's plan soured. Wondering how desperate the young man had to be to have a child's suffering be the key to the plans succeeds. "Sh, it okay." She said to the girl "Remember we promised to protect you, nothing is going to hurt."

The girl's chest heaved listening to Ladybug, yet wouldn't lift her head to look at her.

Ladybug began to hum and sing a wordless lullaby as she looked about the room. She recognized to the shape of the spacious bedroom to be Adrien's, but by the dull colors and formal furniture, it wasn't his room. This was the room of Félix, there was tomb-like stillness seeing how clean and untouched it was. 'If Hawkmoth was somewhere in this house where does keep his hostages?' She knew that freeing those captured would ease the hold he had over the city.

The feeling of Lil' Cricket hands wrapped around her made her stop singing. "Do we have gone underground?" The fear was still prevalent in her voice.

"No." Weaver's voice clipped from the entrance of the room "Wasp and Cat have already gone underground."

Ladybug jumped to her feet "What?"

"They are convinced that they can handle the last part of the plan themselves." Weaver sat down on the untouched "I'm going to stay with you two, just in case."

"No!" The red-suited heroin interjected "You stay with Cricket I'm going to help them!" she ran out of the room a spark of fury sending herself to the first floor. Her eyes trained on the dark hole unable to understand why they thought that only two of them would be able to handle Hawkmoth. After all, she was the only one that could heal and release akumas from corrupted objects.

Moving through the jagged maw she descended down into the dark of the subterranean stairs. Dimly lit tunnels branched out from the bottom floor there was a murmuring echo that set her on edge. She wondered how vase and deep the labyrinth could truly be. While at the same time pushed out that fact that something like might be in the exact same building in her reality. She picked the quietest tunnel moving as quickly and silently as she could the patting of her feet echoing faintly. Upon reaching the end of the path her breath caught surprised by the strange twist of luck that had to be.

The room was illuminated by the light of massive computer monitors. Casting long black shadows as images of stormy skies of Paris. In the middle of it all to stood Hawkmoth dressed in an imposing black suit, this man was clearly not the same foe that sent villains to plague her otherwise normal life. His face the fully covered the only with butterfly wing shaped visor that reflected the electric blue of the screens.

"Ah, Ladybug." The voice that came from Hawkmoth was notably distorted, yet it was the dark glee under his word that made her shiver "It has been too long since our last tête-à-tête."

She didn't move or say a word to even as he approached. Unsure how strong his combat skills were or how quickly an akumatized villain could be here to aid him if she stuck first.

"Why have you returned?" He stopped and Ladybug could see that Hawkmoth stood a full shoulder taller than her, which was significantly shorter then she thought her nemeses would be "Was be freedom from your simple life, not enough? Maybe that dirty alley cat finally revealed how disgusting feral he is?"

"You would have found us eventually." She answered looking away from him. Biding her time until the inevitable moment he realized that she wasn't the same Ladybug he had fought before.

"Indeed." Hawkmoth's fists clench "Though I have been true to my word have I not? Did I do something to force your hand?"

Ladybug slowly reached for her yo-yo then stopped seeing the outline of Cat and Druid hanging down from a ceiling air vent. "The hostages." She answered hoping to keep up the distraction.

The rigged posture of Hawkmoth changed drastically as he let out a laugh making the red-suited hero step back reflectively.

Noticing Ladybugs movement Hawkmoth shot out an arm to grab her.

Shiftily she doge and rolled in the room behind him then called "Luck Charm!" the second she got to her feet. Her power summoning up a polka dotted riot shield, which instantly became useful block a blow from Hawkmoth.

Seizing the opportunity Ladybug had given them the two heroes launched themselves out of their hiding places. The males using their weapon to lay into her attacker pushing him into the large shield.

Hawkmoth attempted to hold off the strikes he was receiving. Thought his attempt to defend himself failed as Chat smacked the black-suited Hawkmoth in the hard with from smack. The villain's body crumbled against the shield sliding to Ladybugs feet, his body shimmer as his Miraculous was to deactivate.

Druid Wasps smile of victory quickly devolved as the owner of the butterfly Miraculous was revealed to him "No." His breath hitched as he looked at the prone body.

Ladybug looks over to her feline companion her ears picking up on a small chirp from Lil' Cricket. Though the look of utter terror on Cat Noir face made her look down at the body at her feet.

In a formal white shirt and scuffed up dress pants and shoes. Ladybug gasped as the of blond-haired of teen at her feet making her reflexive discard the shield to closely examine the person he thought was Hawkmoth's first hostage.

Druid wasp got to him first lifting the limp body by the collar "How!" The golden hero slapped his face "Félix why!" His voice cracked with betrayal and a shattered belief.

Félix's eyes opened is dark blue eyes took in the room with a pained dreariness. Merely giving a self-aggrandizing smile and chuckle as he looked startled and disparaged faces of the heroes.

See the heir's expression made something in Chat snap "Answer him!" He ripped him forcefully out of Druid's hold "You were Hawkmoth! All this time!" He shook the pale blonde with violence.

The other Agreste stared down at him with pure hatred "Even with some else under that mask you behave the same Cat!"

Cat growled ramming Félix into one of the larger video screens, the force in which cracked the image on impact. "I could say the same to you!" He spat giving his soul doubleganger another shove.

"Chat!"

The smattering of voices that called to him was punctuated by the sound of a distressed Lil' Cricket. Making him release Félix tasking serval steps away from what in some way an alternate version of himself.

Félix coughed and gasped for breath as rubbed at the spots Cat grabbed him "Fine, I might as well confess!" He stood up straight as the shadows crossing over his smiling face "My mother was Royal Blue and my father was Atlas Moth." There was pain in his words "Their deaths not an accident, but the natural consequence of those who use any Miraculous."

"Lair!" Druid shouted in protest "You can't know that!"

Félix stared at him with grief and an icy judgment "Even if I'm wrong, the world is longer the place in which Miraculous can be used safely." He closed his eyes briefly as the corner of his mouth twitch "History has shown us the fables of the foolhardy, the one believes they could solve all troubles with the powers bestowed upon them."

Cat stood stupefied at Félix unable to listen to Ladybug and Druid's augments. They would have no effect on Félix. Weaver was more correct about him than she could of fathom because he knew himself. No imprisonment or brainwashing would convince Félix that what he was doing wrong. Grief had twisted the young man into something he feared to see in himself. Even now the villain in the street above would not stop on his behalf, for as long he was Hawkmoth. No, even without an army he would not stop on his mission.

With a sure sept his eye fell to the ground, he understood what he needed to do. Moving towards the mirror of himself he was sick of looking at.

Félix looked to him and he could see much of his father. This variation of himself truly the ice chip off the old block and that was the realization that hurt the most. He could hear the voice of Ladybug she was finally catching on and he wished he could stop time to explain to her what had to be done.

"Cataclysm!" He rushed at Félix as he felt the cord of Ladybugs yo-yo warp around his leg.

Lil' Cricket jump out of her hiding place "No!" She also to prevent Cats attack shove her little small between himself and Félix.

Despite the two girl's effort to prevent Cat Noir's attack. His claws were already in mid-swing his strike landing violently on Lil' Crickets side.

The girl screamed as an ear-splitting wail along with an explosion of light erupted from the impact. The blast sending everyone flying off. Tumbling lost the in hot wind of light in sound everyone could feel the floor and walls breaking around them.

Ladybug was the first to open eyes when the chaos subsided looking stared up a beautiful blue sky "What are we?" She looked around at the Pairs she knew and loved and wondered the why her heart was pounding like she had been in a fight.

"Where's Lil'" She turned her head to Cat waking up beside her confused and groggy.

She tilted her head at him "Who?" having a vague feeling that something important was going on.

Their Miraculous there showing signs of deactivation be either of them could ask farther about the off feeling they had. Forcing themselves to the part way even though there was something obviously wrong.

 _ **(Authors Note: This is the final part of my first Miraculous Adventures fanfiction. Don't forget to leave a review and tell me what you thought of it if liked my writing check out my other fanfictions. I also have the link to my YouTube and FictionPress on my profile if you want to support me elsewhere. I enjoyed writing this and love writing entraining stories so helping me would be greatly appreciated. - AJ)**_


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